Portret van Jacob van Loo 1799

This silhouette, "Portret van Jacob van Loo," is a portrait of Jacob van Loo created by Dutch artist Hendrik Roosing in 1799. It is a depiction of Van Loo’s profile, featuring his hair and clothing rendered in black against a light background. The artwork, currently held in the Rijksmuseum, is an example of the popular silhouette portrait genre of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, characterized by its simplicity and focus on capturing a subject’s form. Silhouette art was an affordable and accessible form of portraiture, allowing people from all walks of life to have their likenesses preserved. The artwork's inscription, written below the silhouette, offers a glimpse into the life of Jacob van Loo.